Getting Closer
by MalloryInTheMiddle
Summary: CO-WRITTEN w/ MISLAV. After Malcolm and Lois were barricaded in a bedroom due to them both having mono, something happens that changes their relationship completely.
1. Chapter 1

Idea belongs completely to **_Mislav_**. First part of the chapter is his and I just helped a little at the end. :)

Story begins during the episode _Mono _

* * *

"They were lying on his bed, close next to each other. Mono was still working and there was no signs that it's influence will stop soon. And in that condition, man can have all sorts of ideas on his or her's mind.

-Are you still seeing Nikki?-Lois suddenly asked him.

He was surprised, but decided to answer anyway. And to be honest.

-No-he said.-We broke up.

-I'm sorry-she said, compassionately.

-Thank you, but you don't need to be. It was all my fault. I don't blame her. Also, I'm surprisingly... fine.-He signed.-I don't think she was my type of girl anyway.

Lois glared at him.

-And what's your type of girl?-she asked.

He signed again.

-I think... she needs to be smart... brave... brave to say her opinion without caring what will other think. Brave to stand up for herself, and people she loves and cares about, no matter what. She needs to be strong... smart. She needs to understand me well, know me well. She doesn't need to be especially pretty, I guess. But she needs to be satisfied with her look. Not care only about it, but in the same time, care to look good for me.

Lois glanced at him.

-That seems like a great choice-she chuckled. She leaned closer towards him and gently slid her hand down his right cheek, while sharing eye contact with him. Her hand was surprisingly soft abd gentle, it was very pleasant to feel it touching his body.

-I really hope you will found that girl-she said, softly, smiling.-You... you really deserve her. You... you just need to look.

That was the first time he noticed how beautiful her eyes are. They are honest, deep, and surprisingly... innocent? Hopeful? Optimistic? He felt like he could look at her eyes all day long.

-I hope I won't have hard time finding her-he said, softly.-Who knows? Maybe she is closer, much closer than I think.

He had no idea why he said that; he just felt some need to say that.

-Good luck, honey-she said and gently kissed his forehead. She rarely kissed him, and never that long, and he suddenly felt his heart making a weird little flip and pleasant shivers spreading through his whole body, starting from place where she pressed her wet, warm, surprisingly gentle and soft lips against his skin. She wrapped her hands around his waist and rested her head against his chest, moaning softly. He gently kissed back of her head and gently rested his right hand on her warm backs, and then they fell asleep."

"He woke up next day at 5pm, completely awake and refreshed. No wonder, they fall asleep at 7 pm. He noticed that Lois is still sleeping peacefully, resting on his chest. He couldn't help but smile. Then he quickly started thinking: Why did I smiled? Why do I feel so incredibly good and warm and fluffy now when I see her sleeping so peacefully, innocently, without care in the world?"

This is probably because he gain somehow more closer with her yesterday. They both did, actually. Yes, that's it. There can't be nothing else.

Of course, he had morning erection, and his ** was clearly visible through his pants. When he moved away in order to stand up, her gentle hand slid down his pants, and he couldn't help but to let out a moan and feel pleasant shivers going down his spine. Almost immediately after that he jumped off the bed, trying to wrap his mind about what just happened.

"Don't worry. It was just a physical thing. It happened by accident."

He walked in toilet and, urinated and tooked a quick shower. He got dressed in his room and walked toward kitchen, glaring in bedroom one more time.

He was looking at Lois for few more seconds, then walked towards the bed, tooked blanket from armchair near by and gently covered her. Before leaving, he pressed quick kiss on her right cheek, close to her soft lips, and gently rubbed her hair, feeling her warm breath on his face."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

He was starting to feel hungry so he padded to the kitchen making sure his dad wasn't in the house, since Hal would be freaking out if he saw him in the 'general population'.

Malcolm made himself a sandwich, and soon after he finished eating, he found himself exhausted all over again.

He was just making his way back to the room when he ran into Reese.

He tried to avoid making contact with Reese, and maneuver around him.

When Reese didn't let him pass he sighed in frustration. "Reese, can you please move?"

"I think you should be happy to know that the whole school now knows you got the kissing disease from mom," said Reese, proudly.

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "She just licked her thumb then touched my face," explained Malcolm.

"Whatever!" Reese pushed him into the wall and disappeared into the kitchen.

Malcolm didn't have enough energy to defend himself, so he slinked back to the bedroom.

Lois was still in bed, sleeping, so he ensured he was quiet as he slipped under the covers, within a safe distance from his mom.

Even though he had planned to go back to sleep, he had already slept a sufficient amount so he wasn't going to fall back to sleep.

He just reclined, letting his mind wander back to all the work he was missing at school.

Malcolm was preoccupied with the thoughts of actually going back to school, and it being a bad thing. He had this urge to stay in bed, longer, and surprisingly enough, with his mom. He never thought it would turn out that way- but being with his mom was comforting.

Then he thought about what Reese said. No one at school would probably even care about him, or that he 'made-out with his mom'. 'Everyone thinks Reese is a liar anyways', he told himself.

Suddenly he realized he was only comforting himself unnecessarily.

He actually didn't care if everyone thought he made out with his mom. Or did he?

Malcolm looked down at his mother. She snored softly, and it directed his eyes down to her lips.

He shook his head and decided he was too sick to think logically. He pulled the covers over himself and fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Once again, music and ideas in this chapter as well as the first part belong to **_Mislav_**, and the second's mine. :) Warning: This story will contain Wilkercest.

* * *

He woke up two hours later. He was surprised to realize that he fell asleep again. Only for two hours, but still! At least there was no hard-on this time.

He soon realized that Lois isn't here. He crawled out of bed and walked in kitchen. He saw Lois, sitting at the kitchen table, just finishing her breakfast: scrambled eggs with bacon and toast.

-Good morning, Malcolm-she said.

-Good morning, mom-he said. Suddenly, he felt slightly embarrassed, standing there next to her while he feels that strange, new, positive affection towards her. But again, why then he only wanted to get lost in that feeling? He decided not to think about that.

-So-he said while she was putting away dishes-what shall we do now?

She glared at him, looking almost surprised by his question.

-Well...-she said.-You could do your homework...

-I did it yesterday. Cynthia will bring me today's homework in four hours or so.

-Then... I guess we could watch TV?

Having no better idea himself, he just nodded. After she finished putting away dishes, they sat on couch in living room and she turned on TV. About half an hour, they were switching channels, pretty disappointed with TV programme. News, news, some old cartoon, news, soda commercial, news.

-We could listen to radio-Malcolm suggested.

-It is broken.

After few more minutes, he got the idea.

-Doesn't dad have that old phonograph?-he asked her.

She just glared at him for few seconds and left in master's bedroom. Soon, she returned with phonograph and some tapes. She plugged it in plug on the wall next to the couch and put the phonograph on coffee table.

-All these are old songs-Malcolm said, disappointed.

-That doesn't mean that they are bad. Look, this one is good. "Let it be" by Beatles.

He just nodded, having no better idea.

After three minutes of song and short silence, he said:

-That was, actually, pretty good.

-I told you.

-It felt sad, but strangely beautiful and optimistic, in some way.

Again, he had no idea why he said that in front of his mom. He was really confused lately.

Lois, however, seemed intrigued by his opinion.

-You know, I first heard that song when I was fifteen-she said.-I couldn't actually found myself in it, due to... you know. But I cried first time I heard it. And it soon became one of my favorite songs. I know tone of a song has lots of different emotions in it and that can seem confusing at first, but that makes it real: you experience all sort of emotions through real life, but there is always hope and optimism.

He couldn't help but smile when he heard that.

-I like the refren the most-he said.

-Me too-she nodded.

-That's kinda odd. It's sung terrifically, of course... But, basically, those are only three words. Let it be.

-Sometimes simplest refrens are the best one-she said.-Especially if they are sung in a good way. Because, when you have something really simple, you can apply it on almost every aspect of your life somehow and identify yourself with that, feel better.

He glared at her in surprise, almost in shock.

-I didn't know that you... know so much about...

-Music? Psychology? Emotions? I maybe don't have IQ 165, but that doesn't mean that I don't understand and like things you do, and if definitely doesn't mean that we can't... have pleasant conversation or enjoy in some things together.

He shivered on last words, but said nothing.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

It's not like he thought his mom was an idiot of some sort, but her wisdom always seemed to catch him off guard, even now, that he was older.

His mom always knew what to say to make him feel better, whether or not he wanted to admit it.

Another song played on the phonograph and Malcolm's thoughts drifted to a particular song that reminded him of the present moment.

_Hey You_ by _Pink Floyd_.

He looked over at Lois, who had relaxed, with her eyes closed, lightly swaying to the song playing.

Malcolm repeated the lyrics in his head, certain ones standing out: "_Hey you...can you feel me?...Don't give in without a fight...Open your heart...But it was only a fantasy...always doing what you're told...can you help me...Don't tell me there's no hope at all...Together we stand..."_

The lyrics reminded him of Lois at that moment.

"Did you like that one," asked Lois, after the song was over.

"Huh?" Malcolm hadn't heard one word of the song that was playing. "I'm sorry, I wasn't really paying attention; I was thinking about something else," Malcolm admitted, sheepishly.

"Well, you seem very preoccupied with your thoughts," commented Lois, sorting through the tapes on the table in front of them. "Anything you wanna talk about," she added, glancing over at Malcolm from the corner of her eye.

"Not really..." Malcolm avoided her gaze.

Lois sensed it was important. "You can tell me."

Malcolm shrugged. "I don't know, it just seems easier to talk to you than most kids my age."

"You can always talk to me about anything," added Lois.

Malcolm rolled his eyes at the cliché parent-saying, even though he knew it was ultimately true.

Well mostly true...

"You're just saying that," sighed Malcolm, too tired from the mono to give an appropriate mildly-annoyed tone.

"I was young once too, you know," laughed Lois, elbowing him softly in the ribs.

Malcolm tried to think about what his mom was like when she was younger. He found it difficult to do. He tried to compare his mom to the girls with short skirts and tight tanks from his school, but to no avail. His mom was...different.

He shook his aching head in attempt to clear his head, causing a throbbing pain.

"Ugh," he scolded, raising a hand to his forehead.

"Don't worry, soon enough you'll get better and you won't have to hang out with your mom all day."

"No! Mom, it's not that, my head just hurts, that's all."

Lois didn't reply.

Malcolm felt the urge to comfort her, last thing he wanted was to hurt her feelings.

"Really, if anything I think it's better I spend time with someone as smart you, other than a girl my age."

"Well that's true," laughed Lois. "Even if you are lying because you don't want to hurt my feelings."

Malcolm said nothing in return, and was left with the impulse to tell her that it wasn't a lie on his tongue.


	3. Chapter 3

We switched it up a lil bit so the first part is written by me and the second by _**Mislav**__  
_Enjoy! ^^

* * *

With Malcolm getting his health back, that meant a lot of catching up, without school being stressful enough.

But this also meant he got a chance to finally be away from his mom. He was spending too much time with her, and Malcolm started thinking it was clouding his thinking.

He had just started some reading for psychology. Or the Oedipus Complex, to be exact.

"_**Oedipus complex**_ _denotes the emotions and ideas that the mind keeps in the unconscious, via dynamic repression, that concentrates upon a child's desire to sexually possess the parent of the opposite sex_ "

Malcolm paused to process what he was reading.

"_Oedipus refers to a 5th-century BC Greek mythologic character Oedipus, who unwittingly kills his father, Laius, and marries his mother_"

Malcolm found it bizarre, but then again most mythology tends to revolve around incest and murder...

"_a boy's decisive psychosexual experience is the Oedipus complex — his son–father competition for possession of mother_."

Malcolm never based his life around psychology too much. Either because he didn't care enough about it, or found the whole thing inane.

"_Considers maternal incest._"

Malcolm stopped reading to make sure he understood it all, because unlike most times, this felt complicated.

'_So, for example, if the oedipus complex was applied to me, I'd want to kill my own father and marry my mother_,' thought Malcolm.

He scoffed, shaking his head.

Was this something that actually applied to people, if not now-a-days, but ever?

It was simply an idea based on mythology.

'_Certainly, I don't want to kill my father..._' Malcolm told himself. '._..and all for my mother? To have sex...with my mother_?'

Reese and Dewey came into the room, interrupting Malcolm's thoughts.

"What're you doing," asked Dewey, peering over Malcolm's shoulder.

"Reading about the Oedipus Complex," replied Malcolm.

"What's that?"

"Just Sigmund Freud's theory on how boys want to kill their father and sleep with their mom."

"Eww, " Dewey blurted out.

"That's gross. Who'd want to sleep with their own mom," marveled Reese. "Maybe if their mom was hot. Definitely not our mom," he spat.

Everyone went on to do their own thing, but Malcolm couldn't stop thinking about what was said.

Surely no kid would really want to sleep with any of their parents, but it's not like their mom was enough to invoke a comment like 'gross'.

Ever since he had some time to spend with his mom, Malcolm realized what a smart person she was. And it never occurred to him, until now, to even think about his mom as 'attractive' or not. Given the chance, would the thought of even sleeping with her completely disgust him?

If people really believed this, that would mean that every single person probably went through a phase where the oedipus complex was applicable to them.

Malcolm scanned any memory he had where he ever saw his father as a rival.

Or his mom as the object of his affection.

He didn't know why he couldn't stop thinking about it.

Maybe it was because he recently spent so much time with his mom.

Malcolm went on to read:

"_they found no evidence of the Oedipus complex in people...The idea that boys want to sleep with their mothers strikes most men as the silliest thing they have ever heard. Obviously, it did not seem so to Freud, who wrote that as a boy he once had an erotic reaction to watching his mother dressing."_

Malcolm paused again. Most people did seem to look down on Freud for seeming to have an attraction to his mother that he wanted to project on the people of the world as a natural trait.

But Malcolm could see not fault in the psychologist. He simply found his mother attractive...

"_Parent-child and sibling-sibling incestuous unions are almost universally forbidden._"

Malcolm closed the book. He found the subject irritating. He would do it later.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Lois was lying in bed, thinking.

She knew that soon, both she and Malcolm will be healthy. She knows she should be happy because of that, but she is actually kinda dissapointed. While they were both sick, she was spending so much time with him. At first, she thought that would be awkward and irritating for both of them, but it turned out surprisingly well. They found out they actually have lots of things in common and they engaged in some very pleasant conversation. Pleasant for her, at least, but also to him, she hoped. This whole mono thing could possibly be the best thing that ever happened to them. Or for her, at least. Finally, she made good, healthy relationship with at least one of her children.

She actually started feeling that Malcolm understands her better than Hal. Not that Hal doesn't understand her, only it seems that Malcolm understands her better. And she likes talking with Malcolm, and she knows that she can't talk with Hal about some stuff she talks with Malcolm. And she REALLY enjoys talking and discussing about some of that stuff.

Wait a second? Did she just concluded that her son understands her better than her husband? She soon decided she has nothing to worry about. Even her husband can understand her every need and interest. It's kinda weird that her son does, but not creepy or inappropriate. Yes, there is nothing to worry about.

Malcolm walked in the room and sat on bed near her.

"Aren't you writing your homework?", Lois asked.

"I decided to take some more rest and do it later. It is... really complicated."

Short silence.

"Wanna talk about something?", Lois asked.

"Well... maybe... but I don't think you would like it."

"I told you: you can tell me anything."

Malcolm took a deep breath, then said:

"I always wondered... why are you so strict all the time? Did you really needed to sent Francis in military school? Why don't you just take a chance and try not to be so strict once in a while?"

"You know that I only do all those things because I love you. But I agree. Sending Francis in military school was probably my biggest mistake. But I love all of you too much to take that chance and be less strict. I'm sorry about that. I apologize."

Malcolm shivered on last two words. Her mom actually apologized because of her parenting techniques? Did he really hear that?

"It... it's alright, mom. I understand. Thank you."

He leaned closer to her and pressed soft kiss on her right cheek. She moaned softly and closed her eyes.

He just realized something. She loves her children-including him-so much that she is willing to have reputation of bad mother, to make them get angry on her, just so they could have the best. And she never complains. In real sense of word.

He didn't want to admit it, but he started admiring her because of that, and actually love her as a mother, in such strong way he never felt before. Thinking of her started making his heart warm.  
He lied next to her, pressed his head against her warm shoulder, and closed his eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

This chapter was written completely by **_Mislav_** himself! ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

* * *

Lois didn't give much thought about all that. She was glad and even pleasantly surprised that one of her sons helped her and comforted her without her ordering him so and

without him asking for anything in return, but she didn't think that was something serious.

Malcolm, however, couldn't stop thinking about what happened that day in the kitchen. Of course, he loved his mother (although they weren't always getting along well), but

why did he feel such strong urge to comfort her over such trivial matter? And why did he feel so good after he did?

However, he eventually decided to stop thinking about that. Maybe others were right. Maybe he is causing some of his problems by over thinking everything.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx XxXxXxXxXxX

It was next week, Wednesday. Malcolm returned home from school am hour earlier. Reese and Dewey were still in school. Hal was at work. Lois wasn't working that day, due

to some construction works in Lucky Aid. She was supposed to get back at work tomorrow.

When he approached to his room, he heard strange noises coming from the bathroom. Malcolm walked toward it, slowly and carefully. Bathroom doors were opened.

Lois was sitting on bathroom floor, crying. Malcolm felt that urge to comfort her again, now stronger than ever.

"Mom", he asked, while looking at her in shock. "What is wrong?"

She looked down in shame.

"Nothing", she whispered.

Malcolm glared at her and walked in.

"Mom... what is wrong?"

"It is stupid..."

"No, it's serious! You are crying!"

Lois was quiet for few seconds, and then took a deep breath before saying:

"I... I got in a fight with neighbor... and then I remembered your dad's family... and felt like nobody loves me... it is stupid."

Malcolm gently put his hand on Lois's right shoulder.

"Look, you shouldn't think about them. They don't realize how special you are. You have husband you love, five children, job, friends-not many of them, but still... You are

amazing. You should feel sorry for them because they don't realize that. I love you, your children love you-even if they don't admit it-and dad loves you. That's all what

matters."

Lois immediately felt better. She looked at him and smiled.

"Thank you", she said before pressing soft kiss on his face, kiss that made his heart beat faster and spread pleasant shivers through his skin. "Sorry you had to see me in

that condition."

"No problems", Malcolm smiled and walked back in his room.

Again, Malcolm tried not to think about that. But this time, he simply couldn't, and he eventually came to conclusion that he loves his mother more than he ever knew or

wanted to admit and that he will.

At first, that freaked him out. But he soon realized that there is nothing wrong with that. It made him feel good, and it obviously made his mother feel good too. So, he

decided that he will, from now on, spend even more time with her and help her in any way possible.

Lois couldn't help herself either. Malcolm was there for her when Hal wasn't. Sure, that was just a coincidence, but her son really comforted her, more than once. No other of

her children did something like that.

She felt like he wants and can and wants to comfort her in any way and situation possible. She couldn't tell for sure, but she felt that she formed special bound with her son.

And that it will grow further than that. If only she would know...


End file.
